If you set inside a Y facility you will see what they do and if you attend an event or program you can see why their necessary for a community. The Y is community based gym facility that hosts events and programs to enrich and cultivate the community.

The YMCA stands for the Young Men’s Christian Association but has evolved in to “the Y” due to its outreach to everyone. The organization was founded by George Williams in 1844 in London. It was built as a place of refuge for the young men from the harsh city life at the time.

Now over 160 years later the Y is still around but has now become an important part of the community it serves. Once a Y is established in a community, they become a vital part of a community’s growth through their activities and programs. With the help of the Y, people can realize their potential in volatile communities by becoming a safe drug free environment.

But there are more to just the Y then its facilities. Here are just a few more reasons why you should volunteer or join.

You become part of a community – By becoming part of the Y you build relationships with people in your community and become part of the overall good in the community.

You can become a mentor in a child’s life – Thousands of at-risk youth are being helped by the Y. Through the help of families and volunteers it is possible to give a child a future.

Get in shape – Becoming a member gives you access to gym facilities and access to a variety of exercise programs such as Zumba, yoga, and martial arts.

Gets kids off the streets – The Y’s engaging after school programs fosters learning and exercise which gives the ma healthy outlet as they get older.

The Village Learning Place

This blog and our website is dedicated to help you find a way to dedicate your free time to something you can be passionate about. While we gear mainly to sports and activities that are social and make you sweat, we also want to give resources and ways on how you can be a better person. With that in mind we are starting a new series for Strictly Baltimore showcasing volunteer opportunities and helpful ways to give back to Baltimore. It’s called “Give Back Baltimore.”

If you have lived here long enough, you used to remember when Baltimore City used to be called “The City That Reads.” While that may or may not be the case one thing is for sure. This organization can believe it.

The Village Learning Center is an independent non-profit library. But take one look at what they do and you see more than that. Located in Charles Village, they focus on the personal and professional growth by hosting programs and resources for the community.

True to their name, the VLP provides monthly activities and programs for all ages to participate and learn.

Every second Wednesday the VLP offers a free lecture, concert, or special arts event. For instance, yesterday they had a Holiday Artisan Market, a great collection of handcrafted products that make the perfect holiday gift. Don’t miss their next and last installment of this year, Wednesday, Deecmber 12, where there will be a performance by Camerata Musica, singers of Renaissance Madrigal music.

They also team up with LINK (Let’s Invest In Neighborhood Kids) to offer after school and summer programs for kids in the city. The Village Learning Place also offers one-on-one tutoring for people looking to pass their GED‘s.

They are always looking for people to get involved and be a part of the Village Learning Place. Donations, volunteering, tweets, anything and everything would help their cause of community enrichment and lifelong learning.

How to Make Baltimore Better

This blog and our website is dedicated to help you find a way to dedicate your free time to something you can be passionate about. While we gear mainly to sports and activities that are social and make you sweat, we also want to give resources and ways on how you can be a better person.

With that in mind we are starting a new series for Strictly Baltimore showcasing volunteer opportunities and helpful ways to give back to Baltimore.

It’s called “Give Back Baltimore.”

Being that the Holiday season is coming upon us we figured this would be the perfect time to start these installments.

In light of Hurricane Sandy, and as with many natural disasters, there is an outpouring support of volunteers and resources. While we don’t want to deter people from contributing to their efforts we want people to take a look at what is around their corner and see what they can do to help.

But what if you say, “I don’t if I can give anything to that organization?”

That is far from the truth. Everyone has a skill that can be of use.

Not only do they need your man power but also your expertise!

If your great with graphics, an organization could be looking for someone to redesign their logo. If your good with people, an organization could use you to increase their marketing. If you love pets, there’s an animal shelter calling your name.

Learn about yourself and your strengths “on the job.” By putting yourself out there you’ll be given jobs that will put you out of your comfort zone. By being out of your comfort zone you will find out more about yourself, including what your good at and what you aren’t. Even if you don’t know what you’re good at but you work hard and want to help, an organization can use you and in this process help you find what you’re looking for. You will find your strengths and weaknesses.

So what can you do to help? Where can you volunteer? Where do you start?

There are plenty of sources online that can help you. We found two great resources that can get you started.

First is Volunteer Match. This website that lists hundreds of organizations and positions where people can offer their time and effort to their organization. You will be astonished by how many organizations are in need of help.

Another website is Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU) Maryland. This website helps companies and people get involved with our community. They do this by recruiting and gathering volunteers for efforts and projects around the city. They also help businesses find ways to help the community effectively. If your company is looking for corporate giving opportunities consider checking out BVU Maryland.

So during this upcoming holiday season consider spending some time and look at these sites and look for an organization to help.

The dance company has been a contender in all the major dance competition around the DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area. Some of the members of the company even went on to compete in America’s Best Dance Crew under the group, the Boogie Bots. Having competed in the dance scene for some time, they have gained a notoriety in the dance community.

Major Definition continues to encourage students of the dance and hip-hop community to passionately pursue and further develop their talents both in person and group choreography, freestyle and performance. While they still compete and ever-growing, Major Definition still holds true to their statement of educating people of the culture and fostering artistic talent by hosting free community workshops every week. Every Monday at 7:30 PM, they host a dance workshop on the University campus in the commons area. Showcasing a new choreographer each week, they keep the workshops fresh and learning more.

If your ever looking to learn some hip-hop I encourage you to attend their workshop. Also if you want to learn more and see when their next auditions are, check out their tumblr, facebook, and twitter for updates and information.

A Little Bit Goes a Long Way

Volunteering is one of the most selfless acts you can do. Being able to dedicate more than just your money, but your time and a helping hand can mean much more.

In Maryland, particularly in Baltimore, there are a lot of organizations that need people’s help with the little things. From giving out hot meals to the homeless or walking dogs in a rescue center, there is something for anyone to do. In the future we’ll showcase a number of these organizations but for now we’ll focus on one.

The Central Maryland Volunteers offers the chance for anyone to give their time, have fun, and meet new people. The Central Maryland Volunteers is a group of able ready volunteers waiting to help out where they can.They post weekly events on their bulletin board of volunteer opportunities to attend and the members have the choice of going or not.

What makes this group great is that its free and no obligation to do any of the events that are posted. This gives people a chance to see what they can do in their community but do not have to feel obligated to take part. The Central Maryland Volunteers have many volunteer jobs ready for anyone who wants to participate and are also looking for volunteer opportunities as well.

If you know of any volunteer event, once you join you can post any local event on the bulletin board and calendar.

At this moment, where money is short and times are tough a kind gesture such as your time can mean the more than a dollar.Take the time out of your day and check the website or see what you can do in your community. A little bit goes a long way.

The Melting Pot of Ceramic Arts in Our Region

Located in Mt. Washington, Baltimore Clayworks was founded in 1980 and is the only institution in the region dedicated to solely to this craft.

During their humble beginnings where they used to showcase a few local artist sculptures and installations now has become a venue to show pieces from around the world.

Providing affordable studio space with professional equipment and talent to offer hands-on studio classes. These talents teach the ceramic process to children and adults.

A committed staff of dedicated people is what makes this organization thrive. Other than a full-time staff, Baltimore Clayworks uses the help of volunteers and interns to help with a lot of the events and classes.

Ranging in to hundreds of dollars per session, the costs of making ceramics can become quite expensive. Baltimore Clayworks strive to make itaffordable. Those who can not afford the full costs of the studio resources can also become a work exchanger. A work exchanger dedicates some of their time to help around the organization in events and in return they get a discount on classes andresources.

Ceramic arts has been known to bridge the age gap through it’s artistic outlet. By providing community workshops and satellite studios, Baltimore Clayworks give opportunities for people to discover their passion of ceramic arts. Baltimore Clayworks uses this to target troubled youth and senior adults around the City. Baltimore Clayworks has reached over 500 children and senior adults around Baltimorein the inner city communities.

If you still want to learn more about this organization check out their website or go to their next event this weekend.